George w



(ModeL) G. W. KEMP.

OVBRSEAMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

. No. 497,668. D Patented May 16, 1893.

GwfqeZZ/fikngz UNrEED STATES PATENT QFEIQE.

GEORGE w. KEMP, OF MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOALEXANDER e. FORBES, OF SAME PLAcE.

OVERSEAMING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 497,668, dated May 16,1893.

Application filed April 7,1892. Serial No. 28,203. (Model) To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that-I, GEORGE W. KEMP, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery and Stateof Alabama, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements inOverseaming Attachments for Sewing-Machines;- and I do hereby declarethe following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the inven-'tion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for sewingmachines.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved attachment wherebywith a sewing machine of ordinary construction I can overseam orherring-bone stitch the edges of fabrics either of a single or more thana single thickness; and the invention consists in an attachment theframe of which is adapted to be secured to the presser-bar of a sewingmachine, said frame forming in part the usual function of thepresser-foot, as well as serving as a support for an oscillating armwhich carries a guide through which the fabric to be operated uponpasses, said guide being oscillated by suitable mechanism which isattached to the frame and engages with the needle-bar; and the inventionconsists more particularly in the construction and combination of theparts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification: Figure1 is aperspective view showing my improved attachment applied to asewing machine. Fig. 2 is aside elevation; Fig. 3 an inverted plan view,and Fig. 4 a detail perspective view of the guides throughwhich thefabric passes.

A designates the presser-bar of the sewingmachine, from which the usualpresser-foot has been removed and my attachment applied in lieu thereof.

B designates the needle-bar with which the oscillating arm of theattachment engages to I The frame 0 of my attachment consists of a plate0, to the upper face of which is attached a suitably constructed blockd, which is cut away or otherwise shaped to receive the end of thepresser-bar Aand clamp screw for forming a rigid connection therewith.The plate 0 extends downward and the lower bent end thereof is adaptedto bear upon the feedplate of the sewing-machine and take the place ofthe usual presser-foot. The end 0 is slightly curved, though it may beof any suitable configuration. The opposite end of the plate from thepresser-foot c is apertured for the reception of a pivot pin e whichworks freely in said aperture and carries a lover or operating bar D,which has projections d on opposite sides of its pivot point. Theforward endof this lever is bifurcated for engagement preferably withthe clamping screw of the needle-bar.

The plate 0 carries about centrally a guide or loop f through whichpasses bars E and E one end of each of which is held in pivotalengagement with the cross-head or projecting portion d of the lever D.These bars are spring actuated toward each other; the spring, g, beingmade up .of a single piece which encircles one end of the plate 0 andhas members bent to engage with said bars on the side of the loop orguidef toward the pivoted end of the plate.

H designates a curved arm, which is pivoted to the under side of theplate 0, and this arm is given an abrupt bend near its pivot to presentthe parallel edges h h beyond which the arm may be of any suitableconfiguration,

and to the free end of the same is secured, rigidly, a plate I, saidplate being practically a continuation of the arm and has at its outerend a convex guide between which and the end of the arm is an upwardlyprojecting flat pin Z. To the plate I and end of the arm H is secured bymeans of a set screw 6 an apron or plate I, which has near its end aconcave recess is and centrally an aperture Z through which the pin 1passes. By means of the setscrew and the lug Z on the apron the platesmay be adjusted to suit the different thicknesses of fabric, and theconvex guide serves 5o impart the necessary movement thereto.

to prevent the fabric from being drawn .or

pulled from the plates as the arm H is oscillated, but permits the freemovement of the fabric in the direction of the feed.

The arms E and E which engage with the straight portion of theoscillating arm H have ratchets or catches on and m, the ratchet of thelower bar E being nearer the pivot so as to engage with the rear bevelededge of the straight portion of the arm, while the upper bar E has itsratchet nearer the free end of said arm. The lower bar has its free endrounded or beveled so that it will ride upon the beveled portion of thearm without engaging positively therewith, and also ride upon thestraight edge of the bar E beyond the ratchet or catch m thereof or atthe outer end of the bar.

In operation, the attachment for over-seaming the edges of a fabricis.secured to the presser-foot and needle-bar of a sewing-ma- 2 anoscillating arm H to which movement is imparted by the reciprocatingaction of the needle-bar, a clamp or guide made. up of two plates onehaving on one enda raised'portion and on the other plate opposite theraised T portion a depression for the purpose of hold- ,ing the fabricagainst lateral displacement, the upper plate carrying an inclinedfender which extends downwardly toward the bedplate and needle-aperturetherein substanchine, as illustrated. The set-screw i is loosened andthe fabric placed between the plates I and I so that its edge will betoward the Z. The set-screw t' isthen tightened suffiwent to prevent thefabric being drawn from between the plates laterally, but not so tightas to prevent the same feeding through or being drawn awayfrom theoperator by the action of the usual feed-plate and the presserfoot ofthe; attachment. The adjustment of the feed-plate of the sewing machinewill give the desired distance between the stitches, while thedepthofsaid stitches can be adjusted by moving the block d to the right or leftand securing it in the desired position by the set screw 91, thuschanging relatively the position of the attachment upon the presserfoot; and in operation the needle-bar will pass alternately through thefabric and beyond the edges thereof, said fabric being fed to the needleby forward movement as well asan oscillating movement, so that thefabric will be U i, lower plate having a convex tapered port on adjacentto its outer end, theplate I having positioned in and out of the path ofthe needle.

The upper plate I which is secured to the lower plate I is provided withan inclined projecting portion which extends downwardly and toward theneedle-aperture in the bedplate of the sewing-machine, and theedge of ithis plate nearest the needle is slightly concaved so that when the sameis moved by the oscillating arm it will not contact with the needle. Thefunction of this plate is to keep the fabric in close contact with thebed or feed plate of the machine.

In operation when the lever D is reciprocated the bars E E which arepivoted to the cross-headthereof will also be reciprocated, and as thesebars are forced toward each other by the spring g, they will be causedto contact with the arm 11, at the point where it is provided with aflat portionwith parallel edges which are oppositely beveled, so thatthe ratchets or notches in the bars E E will alternately engagetherewith, so as tooscillate the arm upon its pivot; one of the bars (asE) pushing the arm H to move it in one adapted to engage therewith andwith a lever for the purpose set forth, the free end ot the oscillatingarm carrying a plate having an upwardly projecting pin and a raised endportion, a plate having an aperture through which the pin passes, and arecess which lies over the raised end portion, and means for connectingthe plates to each other substani tially as shown.

2. In a sewing-machine attachment having tially as shown.

3. In an attachment for sewing machines, the combination with anoscillating arm H 1 pivoted to a frame carried by the presser-bar of asewing machine, said frame having an oscillating lever which isadaptedto-be cont to the arm H from the needle-bar, said arm carrying at itsfree end forward'of the needlebar plates I and I the plate I beingadjustably connected to; the oscillating arm H, the

a concave tapered portion above the convex tapered portion of theadjacent plate,.substantially as shown.

4. In an attachment for sewing-machines, the combination of anoscillating arm and I support therefor, of a plate I having aconvex Itapered portion at its outer end, said end being bent below the plane ofthe plate, and a plate I adapted to be adjustably secured to the, plateI, said plate having a concave tapered recess located above theconvextapered portion of the lower plate, means for holding the platesagainst lateral movement with respect to each other, and a fender oroverlap- :ping portion carried by the upper plate,sub-

stantially as shown, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. KEMP. Witnesses:

A. G. FORBES, THEO. G. BESSER.

